


Remembering

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Challenge: Sentinel Thursday, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 19:19:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6341860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim is in an introspective mood</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remembering

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sentinel Thursday prompt 'twenty'

Remembering

by Bluewolf

**One morning in 2009**

"Jim?"

 Blair had, as usual, made his morning way to the bathroom by Braille, not noticing anything as he went. Now, washed and shaved, he was awake enough to register that Jim was sitting in the living room, looking as if he had been there all night.

Jim gave him a smile that could only be called sad. "It's okay, Chief. I'd... I lost track of time. I'll get the coffee on, then get washed."

"Jim? You haven't been sitting there zoned out, have you?"

"No, Chief, just thinking." As he spoke, Jim rose and moved to the kitchen area.

Blair watched him for a moment, then, unconvinced, headed back into his bedroom to get dressed.

By the time he returned to the living room, Jim had disappeared.

Still somewhat concerned, Blair went to the fridge and took out eggs and a couple of rashers of bacon. He took scissors from the drawer where they kept the cooking utensils and carefully trimmed the fat off the bacon before cutting the meat into fairly small pieces and putting them, with some butter, into the frying pan, with the heat on but at its lowest setting. Then he broke several eggs into a bowl and by the time he had whipped them up the coffee was ready. He poured himself a mug and drank it while he waited for Jim to reappear.

Once Jim had left the bathroom and headed upstairs, Blair turned the heat up a little under the barely-cooking bacon, put bread into the toaster and added the eggs to the frying pan, stirring gently.

He had timed it perfectly. The scrambled eggs were just ready when Jim came back down the stairs.

Jim didn't look any happier as he joined Blair, who dished up the eggs and put a plate in front of his friend.

They ate in silence, but it was obvious to Blair that Jim was actually having to force himself to eat. He glanced at the time - yes, they were a little early; time to try to get Jim to open up before they headed off to the PD. He said nothing, however, until they had washed the dishes and put them away.

"All right, Jim," he said. "Something's bothering you. What is it? Can I help?"

Jim shook his head. "Just... just a bit introspective. Remembering... "

When nothing else was forthcoming, Blair said softly, "Remembering?"

"1989."

"Twenty years ago? Wait... Peru?"

"Yes. Twenty years ago today... I was remembering the men who died there. Because of one man's greed, seven good men died then, and several lives were affected for ever... one really badly."

"Veronica Sarris," Blair said softly.

"Yes."

"Jim, however her father died, even of natural causes when he was a hundred years old, she wouldn't have been able to cope. She had never outgrown her childhood dependence on him."

"I suppose not," Jim said. "He was older than the rest of us. Sometimes... sometimes I wondered if he'd joined the army, once she reached eighteen, to force her to - well, grow up."

"She joined up too, and was invalided out through mental instability," Blair remembered.

"But that was after her father went MIA. As long as he was there she knew she could call on him for - say - advice. When she was left to make her own decisions... "

"Can you, in the army?" Blair asked a little wryly.

"Well, you have to obey orders, but you do have a life outside of 'work' - just as we do, once we're out of the PD for the day."

"Okay."

"How I survived... "

Jim was definitely introspective, Blair decided. "You survived because it wasn't your time to die," he said. "And Jim - it's okay to remember, and grieve. They were your men, your friends. What happened was tragic. But don't fall into the 'survivor guilt' mindset. Think of all the good you've done in those twenty years, starting off with fulfilling the mission you'd been sent to do. All the criminals you've taken off the streets in those twenty years. The lives you've been able to save." He glanced at the time. "If necessary, we can carry on this discussion tonight. As it is, we've got to get to work. But just remember, Jim - what happened back then wasn't your fault. Not now, not then. Got it?"

Jim smiled, his expression a little happier. "Got it, Chief. Okay, let's go and get some more bad guys off the street."

Blair took the coat Jim tossed to him, shrugged into it, and followed the older man out of the loft, down the stairs, and across the parking area to his car. Just as well it was his day to drive, Blair reflected as he fastened his seat belt. He was pretty sure that despite his little pep talk, Jim's slightly depressed mood would last the day.

With luck, though, he'd be all right in the morning.


End file.
